Weather,Climate And Adaptation

The climatic conditions in rainforests are highly suitable for supporting an enormous number and variety of animals. Tropical rainforests lie near to the Equator. This region receives rainfall distributed regularly throughout the year, about 6-33 feet a year. It remains frost free and warm all year long, with temperatures between 70° and 85°F with very little daily fluctuation. Because of continuous warmth and rain, this region supports wide variety of plants and animals. The major types of animals living in the rainforests are monkeys, apes, gorillas, lions, tigers, elephants, leopards, lizards, snakes, birds and insects. Tropical rainforests are found in Western Ghats and Assam in India, Southeast Asia, Central America and Central Africa.

Sun is the primary source of energy that causes changes in the weather because sun is a huge sphere of hot gases at a very high temperature. The distance of the sun from us is very large. Even then, the energy sent out by the sun is so huge that it is the source of all heat and light on the earth. Energy absorbed and reflected by the earth’s surface, oceans and the atmosphere play important roles in determining the weather at any place. Weather varies from place to place. It is different in a desert, near coastal areas or near a mountain.

Weather describes the condition of the atmosphere. It might be sunny, hot, windy or cloudy, raining or snowing. The weather depends on the temperature, precipitation, humidity and atmospheric pressure of the part of atmosphere (air) closest to the surface of the earth. The weather is constantly changing as temperature and humidity change in the atmosphere.

Climate is the average weather conditions - temperature, pressure, precipitation and humidity - expected for a certain place. Climate is based on the average weather experienced over 30 years or more.

Temperature, air pressure, wind speed, humidity and rainfall are the essential elements determining weather of a place.